


Have You Heard From Sonic Lately?

by BlueberryLemonade20



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Self-Reflection, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26354560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueberryLemonade20/pseuds/BlueberryLemonade20
Summary: Dr. Eggman's been defeated and everything has been peaceful, but nobody has heard from Sonic in a week.Concerned, Tails and his friends set out to try to find him and bring him home.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 57





	1. Carving My Own Path

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a general story that takes place in the Sonic universe, so you basically only need to be familiar with the characters to follow it. It makes brief mention of Sonic Forces, but other than that it's just a story about what goes on in between the exciting stuff. Enjoy!

Tails noticed his hands shaking from nerves. Noticing that always threw him off of his rhythm, so he had been hoping to wrap up before he started getting the shakes.

Finishing up a project always had this high-stakes feeling. He always felt like he was going to screw it all up at the last second by accidentally pressing his thumb into the circuit board, or dropping the finished device onto the floor, or accidentally knocking over his whole set-up with his tails. These things basically never happened, but those final moments always caused him to break out into a sweat.

Tails took a deep breath, gently pressed the back panel into the device, and screwed it shut with a tiny screwdriver.

He placed the finished device on his workbench and stepped away, shaking the cramps out of his fingers. He had just completed a new rendition of his portable Emerald Radar. No matter how many times they gathered the Chaos Emeralds, they always found themselves needing to collect them again. The new radar, if the modifications had gone smoothly, should be capable of detecting the emeralds from longer distances with higher accuracy. It also should be able to display which emerald it was. In other words, which color.

But the feature that Tails was most proud of was the feature that was least necessary. As a self-imposed challenge, Tails had tasked himself with including a hidden easter egg in the device. If you tapped the “Refresh Radar” button five times within two seconds, a small game that Tails had programmed would become playable. It was very rudimentary, just a simple auto-running game where you jumped over pits and dodged robots. The art was crude, though Tails wouldn’t have described his simple graphics as “art” anyway.

Part of the reason that he had decided to include such a silly thing was because he knew that Sonic would often mash the “Refresh Radar” button over and over when he used it. If he got impatient with the device, he would mash. Even if it was just idly waiting around, device in hand, he would mash. It was probably just an unconscious fidgeting movement. Hopefully, he would enjoy the little game project Tails programmed for him.

The other reason was that, frankly, Tails was bored. During times of relative peace, he was always looking for new hobbies to keep his mind busy. He felt guilty doing something purely for leisure, so he wanted something he could really practice and improve at. Some of his friends had taken up soccer or volleyball, but he wanted something with a little less pressure. No winning or losing. Game design and programming proved to be a perfect match; something he could tinker with for fun. He hadn’t told anyone about his new pastime yet, so it was possible that Sonic would be the first to discover it on his own.

Tails smiled, trying to picture Sonic’s reaction.

The mental image was interrupted by the phone ringing.

Tails liked to still call it “the phone.” A lot of his friends called the portable version a “walkie”, but talking about walkie-talkies felt like such “emergency situation” kind of terminology. Some called the desktop version a “comms system” but that, too, felt overly militaristic. On an easy-breezy day like today, Tails liked to just call it the “phone” for short, no matter what form it took.

Tails picked it up by jabbing a button on his keyboard nonchalantly.

“Tails speaking! What’s up, Amy?” he answered with an almost automatic cheer, like an experienced grocery store clerk.

“Hi! Hope I’m not interrupting anything important…?” Amy greeted, sounding like she was suddenly questioning her own decision to call without warning at 10:45 AM.

“Nah, not really. In my workshop. How are you? What’s up?”

“Ah, good! Me…? I’m pretty good, I guess! A lot going on, as there always is…” she answered, a slight twang of stress in her voice. After all of that business with Dr. Eggman, Infinite, and rallying The Resistance, Amy seemed to be balancing more and more things on her shoulders. The Resistance was disbanded, technically speaking, but Amy and Tails still felt responsible for helping communities pick up the pieces. Knuckles had been called the Commander during the fight, but as soon as it was all over, he had unceremoniously dropped his title and all interest in leadership. He went back to Angel Island and the Master Emerald, and made very little effort about staying in-the-loop about community support efforts.

Amy Rose had picked up the slack. She wasted no time in taking up leadership roles, reaching out to others, and generally trying to be everything for everyone. She often said that The Resistance wasn’t an army, but a concept, and seemed to exude that energy in everything she did. Even though she, and most of her friends, were young, she had grown up fast so that she could be a leader.

She had become a central hub of communication for any of the neighboring towns’ problems. If they needed help rebuilding, they reached out to her. If they needed food or water, they reached out to her. If they needed to evacuate, either from natural disaster or something of Dr. Eggman’s doing, they reached out to her. If they wanted to hold a big race or a parade, they reached out to her. She listened to anything and everything.

In return, she asked for nothing. No official title, no pleasantries, no authority over anybody.

All that said, Tails felt a bit guilty for feeling “bored” enough to install a stupid video game onto an Emerald Radar on a Monday morning. He could feel a small bead of sweat start to slope down by his ear.

“Well, is there anything I could help with?” Tails offered, trying to alleviate this guilty feeling. It wasn’t as if Amy knew he was doing something embarrassing, but he couldn’t stand it when she seemed so overworked.

“Ehh, don’t worry about it,” Amy shrugged it off, continuing her months-long streak of taking on the whole world by herself. She didn’t like inconveniencing others, which was a tricky bit of modesty for a leader. “I know you’re busy with those Emerald Radar upgrades you mentioned. That’ll be helpful in a pinch. I actually was just calling to ask you something.”

Amy took a breath, almost trying to make a show of sounding casual.

“Have you heard from Sonic lately?”

Tails knew what the question was going to be, down to the word, before she had said it. It wasn’t predictable because of Amy’s former (“former” with air-quotes, as Tails usually put it) crush on Sonic, which was the worst-kept secret among their friends. In fact, he never had any impression at all that this question had anything to do with personal feelings. Amy was always striving to be professional.

The question was predictable only because it was inevitable. It was probably the most frequently asked question Tails ever came across. Everyone asked about Sonic. Always. Tails was just as guilty, he posed other people with the same question all the time.

The wording was always the same, too: “Have you heard from Sonic lately?”

Not “Are you with Sonic right now?”

Not “Have you seen Sonic?”

Not “Do you know where Sonic is?”

Anyone who asked any of those variations was instantly spotted to be an outsider. Someone not from their friend group, someone who didn’t know what they were talking about.

One does not simply know where Sonic IS. You can’t keep track of him. He’s always on the move, that’s his whole thing. Time won’t wait, and he’s got so much to do.

So instead, the best you could do is call one of his best friends and hope that they had HEARD from him lately. Not only did Sonic rarely settle in one spot for long, but he had an annoying habit of not keeping people posted. He rarely gave anyone updates on where he was or what he was up to. He could be home one day, out in the jungle the next. Sorry, not “home,” but rather “in the house” as Sonic liked to call it. Sonic never said the word “home” in a conversation, Tails had noticed. Home implies settling down. Home implies committing to...something. That’s what he always said, anyway.

“Sonic... ? Do I know a Sonic…?” Tails pondered jokingly.

“Oh shut uppp,” Amy rolled her eyes. “Has it really been that long?”

“Hmm…” Tails stroking his chin, trying to mentally take note of the past few days. “It hasn’t been THAT long...has it?”

He paused, trying to figure it out without saying anything carelessly inaccurate.

“Maybe it has...I haven’t seen him around for a week or two, obviously. But in terms of phone calls...I think it’s been about five days? Maybe six? I think? Longer than usual. But that probably doesn’t help your question, I’m sure you’ve heard from him more recently than that.”

Amy didn’t skip a beat. “It’s been nine days since I’ve heard from him.”

Tails’s heart nearly stopped for a second, and he may have involuntarily made some sort of noise of concern. He shook it off and tried to keep to a casual tone.

“Haha, well, sounds like he doesn’t like chattin’ with you and I very much, huh? Probably tired of hearing about work stuff,” he reasoned.

“Of the few people I’ve asked so far, you’re the one who has heard from him most recently. And that’s six days. I’d really like it if we could get a hold of him. You don’t think that…” Amy trailed off.

“What, Eggman? No, I don’t think Sonic’s in trouble or anything. Eggman’s not really the sneaky type. You know how he is, once he gets started with something, he usually causes some kind of ruckus and we hear about it. Even if he found a way to trap Sonic, which he hasn’t, he’d make sure we all heard about it.”

Tails tried to inject as much unwavering confidence into his voice as he could. He wasn’t sure if he believed his own words, but his logic made sense to both of them.

Amy conceded. “Yeah, you’re probably right. So it’s not Eggman. In that case, he really is just being a big jerk and ignoring my calls. You replaced his walkie with an earpiece, right? He can’t just pretend he didn’t hear the call, I KNOW he knows when I call.”

Tails sighed. “Yeah, he’s got an earpiece on him at all times. But you know he just silences it when he doesn’t feel like picking up.”

Amy echoed his sigh with her own. It sounded like she was deflating, like she was trying to relax herself. “Well...I shouldn’t assume the worst. Once I start thinking he’s in danger, my imagination just kind of runs away with it and I get...w-worried, haha. Sorry, I know it’s stupid.”

Tails could very much relate to what she was saying. As much as he and Amy had tried to “chill out” in recent months, it was hard not to worry about Sonic’s whereabouts. At the very least, they wish he would be more reliable with the phone in case they needed him for something.

“No, no, it’s not stupid,” Tails spurted out, trying to reassure his friend. “Y’know, if you’ve asked around and nobody’s heard from him, then I’ll head out and take a look around. A little scouting mission, just for old time’s sake. Maybe we just need a bird’s eye view.”

Amy seemed surprised, but maybe this was her plan all along. “R-really? You don’t have to…”

“No worries! Plus, it’s nice out, I shouldn’t stay in my workshop all day. I need to stretch my legs more,” Tails smiled politely, even though he wasn’t on video call. “I’ll report back after lunch, okay? Try not to worry about it!”

“Ohh, thank you thank you Tails! You’re the best!” Amy cheered.

“I finished the new radar by the way, so let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with! See ya!”

“Oh my gosh, thank youuu! Bye!”

Tails hung up. He hopped out of his chair and promptly walked outside. He left the new Emerald Radar behind, he wouldn’t need it for something like this.

He was right that he could use some fresh air, but he also couldn’t help but worry about his friends. Both Sonic’s safety and Amy’s peace of mind.

Tails flipped open his wrist communicator and pressed Sonic’s contact.

Beep beep. Beep beep.

No answer. Not that Tails was expecting one. _That would have been too easy._

He bent his knees, and with a quick whirl, launched up into the skies. The landscape below quickly faded away into a speckled blur. The fox whizzed past a flock of small Flickies, dipping left and right to avoid knocking into any of them. Instead of slowing down, he sped up. He burst through a thin layer of clouds, a cool shiver running through his body. He looked up into the deep blue sky, expanding forever around him.

Tails took a long, deep breath. The cold air chilled his throat, almost painfully. But it felt nice. He had kept himself cooped up inside a lot lately.

He closed his eyes, hovering in the quiet, thin air for a few seconds. Three, two, one.

Tails let go. He simply spread his arms and let himself fall through the sky. His body began to plummet, speeding up faster and faster. Wind whipped past his ears, and he could feel his breath escaping. Although he was always confident in the air, the boy couldn’t help but let out an involuntary yell, like hollering on a rollercoaster. He twisted and turned through the air like a torpedo, rocketing down towards the world he knew. The deep blue expanse around him quickly faded to a light aqua, then to a brighter white. The roaring wind was so powerful it rippled through his body, a ridiculous and ticklish feeling, causing Tails to laugh to himself. The ground was quickly catching up to meet him.

If anyone had been watching, they probably would have become terrified at the danger of the stunt. Luckily, nobody was.

Just before the fox hit the grassy plains below, he spun his tails swiftly and propelled forward at lightning speed. Sonic would be proud, if he knew that his friend had tricks like this up his sleeve. He rocketed past the treetops, rustling their branches.

Letting out the rest of his excited laughter, Tails blinked and got to work. He flew around the area in twisting patterns, scanning the ground below the best he could.

He flew laps around the region he and his friends called the Emerald Hill Zone, looking for any sign of Sonic. He checked all the usual spots. A patch of trees that Sonic usually napped under. A rock formation that Sonic liked to leap around on to show off. An open stretch of field where he liked to go for a run. A set of freshly built train tracks that Sonic raced along to show he was...faster than a train.

Tails flew over a nearby beach, checking up and down the coastline. Nothing.

He flew over a nearby town, a small village united with a cobblestone town square and cute little pond. No sign of him.

“Hmm…”

Tails did a quick lap back over some of the usual areas, double-checking them in case he just missed him. Still nothing.

He descended into a grove of trees and sat down in their bright canopy with a sigh of disappointment. He knew that it was likely Sonic wasn’t in the immediate area, but it was still frustrating.

“Where are you, man…?” Tails asked the empty horizon, looking out into the glittering sea.

Six days since they had last spoken. And the call was pretty mundane, too. Sonic didn’t mention doing anything or going anywhere in particular. He was just out and about as usual. Tails talked about his latest projects, and how Sonic should drop by soon to pick up the new radar when it was finished. Sonic talked about food he had tried lately from various towns he visited.

That was it.

But six days…? It was pretty long, like Amy said. _And it seems most people haven’t heard from him for longer than that._

There was a knot in Tails’s stomach. He acknowledged the nervousness, hoping that would help it go away. But in all fairness, there was a much louder voice of reason in his head telling him that Sonic was fine. _This is just what Sonic is like._

_He’s not in danger, he just doesn’t feel like talking to us._

_Which is extremely frustrating and concerning in its own way._

Tails thought about it, and decided to not give up yet. He had told Amy he’d call back after lunch, so he had bought himself some time. He’d figure out where Sonic was and this would all be wrapped up nice and neat by the end of the day.

He stared out into the distance. He huffed, out of breath. _Maybe the morning acrobatics were a bit much._

He focused his gaze on a tiny dot in the distance. Angel Island.

_I’ll try there. Sonic’s always bouncing around from place to place, dropping in uninvited. Surely somebody has seen him._

After taking a moment to catch his breath, Tails stood up in the canopy and brushed himself off. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of irony. Lately he had been doing his best to occupy himself and not be attached to Sonic’s hip all the time. Growing up meant giving his friends their space. He had to carve out his own path, whether that meant taking up silly hobbies or saving the day his own way.

And yet...here he was. Looking for Sonic. As usual.

Tails tried to chuckle, but it felt more embarrassing than funny.

He hopped off the tree and began making his way towards his workshop. He could fly to Angel Island by tail if he wanted, he had tried it before, but it was an excessive waste of energy. The trip was much more sensible by plane.

Whatever it took, he would find Sonic today.

_Hopefully Knuckles can help._


	2. Rituals and Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tails heads to Angel Island to ask a friend for help.

Leaves crunched underneath Sonic’s feet as he walked along the path that likely led to town.  
  
It wasn’t paved or marked or anything, it just seemed like a “path.” A clearing in a thick forest that others had probably worn down by walking through enough times. In between tree trunks, tiny glimpses of brick walls and chimneys could be spotted in the distances.

  
The wind whistled, swirling orange and yellow leaves into Sonic’s face as he continued onward. It was a bit cold out, but he barely noticed. By complete coincidence, he was dressed for the occasion. He wore a light gray jacket, with a scarf of faded cyan. He had tucked his quills into a big red beanie, and was wearing a less recognizable pair of sneakers.  
  
Sonic wasn’t usually one for fashion, or for being prepared for cold, windy days. The reason for the happy coincidence was simply that Sonic had started carrying a change of clothes with him. Or, to be more specific, he had started storing backpacks of disguises all around his favorite hideouts.  
  
Although he technically had a “place to live”, the blue hedgehog was always keeping his options open. He already had a small house in Green Hill Zone, a guest room at Tails’s place, a guest room at Amy’s place, a room at the former Resistance HQ, a small shack by the beach, and various other places where he was allowed to stay. Most people didn’t even push him for rent or inn fees.  
  
 _That kind of special treatment is what you get for saving the world, I guess._  
  
But despite these cozy options, Sonic didn’t stay inside for very long. He liked to get outside and see the world. Keep things moving. So he never stopped setting up little secret hideouts scattered all around the world. Little places to nap, or stay dry from the rain. Most of these hiding places weren’t equipped with much. Usually a bag of snacks, a water bottle, and maybe some comic books.  
  
Recently he had been stocking them with one more supply: clothing he could change into.  
  
Ever since his last run-in with Eggman trying to take over the world, Sonic had become a bit of a celebrity. Just walking around could draw a crowd. Sometimes they wanted something indulgent like an autograph, other times they just wanted to thank him profusely, and often they would need his help with something. He might get roped into fetching crops, delivering mail, breaking up fights, looking for lost objects, catching thieves, or taking care of left-over Egg robots.  
  
If it weren’t bad enough that he would get these responsibilities suddenly dumped on his shoulders while walking through town, Amy Rose would often call him directly with a new list of jobs to get to. It was a lot.  
  
So far, having a few outfits to change into had done wonders for keeping a low profile.  
  
Sonic ignored the wind whipping through the trees and trudged onward, hands in his jacket pockets.

Keeping a low profile wasn’t always easy. It seemed like most people in the world knew what he looked like at this point. He did his best to hide anything identifiable about himself. His quills were usually the hardest part. He tried to tuck them up into his beanie but they barely fit, sticking out just a tad out of the bottom of the hat.  
  
Suddenly, a sharp sound came from inside the beanie.  
  
Beep beep. “ **INCOMING CALL FROM** …’MY MAIN MAN!’ “  
  
Beep beep. “ **INCOMING CALL FROM** …’MY MAIN MAN!’ “  
  
 _Geez. First Amy, now Tails?_  
  
Sonic reached a hand up into his hat and pressed the Silence button on his earpiece.  
  
 _If it’s something important, he can leave a message. I’m not taking calls right now._  
  
He felt guilty for a moment, not responding to his friends’ messages. When they had expressed frustration with how he was never around when there was no Eggman to fight, he had offered to compromise with them by agreeing to wear an earpiece communicator. He adjusted to the new lifestyle by just using the Silence button liberally.  
  
  
Sunlight began to pour onto the ground, bouncing off the colorful leaves. Sonic stepped out from the final thicket of trees and looked down a large hill. At the base of the hill was a cozy-looking town, filled with small brick houses and neighbors milling about. A stream cut through the town, criss-crossed with quaint stone bridges. Smoke gently puffed from chimneys, a sign of warmth away from the windy morning.  
  
Sonic made his way down the hill, approaching town. This would be his next stop.  
  
As he approached the town entrance, he noticed a town sign. It read: “MAPLEBROOK - ESCAPE FROM THE COLD IS JUST ONE WARM WAFFLE-CAKE AWAY - WELCOME TO ALL VISITORS”  
  
Sonic chuckled at their sign, which bordered on advertisement.  
  
 _Proud of their local cuisine, huh?_  
  
Throughout his travels, Sonic had been making it a point as of late to try out different towns’ local restaurants and food stands. Instead of packing lunch from home, he had been trying to see what the fine folks from all over were cooking up. He figured he might as well, if he was going to pass through their towns anyway.  
  
Just past the town’s welcome sign, there was a wooden bulletin board. It seemed to be a place to hang up ads, share news, and put up flyers.

Although he almost gave it no mind, only sparing it a glance, one flyer caught Sonic’s attention. He stepped up towards the board, giving it a quick read. He gently snapped it off its place, a stub of tape fluttering to the ground.  
  
 _Hm. Interesting._  
  
Sonic folded up the flyer, kept it safe in his pocket, and walked casually through the town gates.  
  
\-----  
  
Light shimmered across the surface of the Master Emerald as small clouds passed over the sun.  
  
Knuckles took a deep, relaxing breath. He stretched out on the stone steps leading up the emerald’s pedestal. At first glance, he looked half-asleep, but he had learned to tune into all five of his senses when it came to keeping guard.  
  
As if to prove his diligence, he picked up on the sound of Tails’s plane The Tornado II long before it was within his line of sight. He opened one eye, turning his head to see a small dot on the horizon growing by the second. Knuckles closed his eyes, shrugging it off.  
  
 _I wonder what they want._  
  
Before long, the plane disrupted the echidna’s rest. The turbines roared loudly, the gust of flight shook the trees, and there was a distinct metallic smell. None of it was very fitting for the lush jungle or the ancient ruins. Knuckles grunted in disapproval.  
  
The plane passed right over him and continued onward. Knuckles nodded, relieved that Tails had continued to be thoughtful enough to only land his plane on a designated strip of dirt far away from the thick of the jungle which housed the emerald. Knuckles had pressed him to keep his landings far away from the parts of the island that needed protecting.  
  
He crossed his legs, tapping his foot to an unheard beat, waiting.  
  
Before long, his visitor joined him at the Master Emerald’s shrine. Knuckles was surprised to see only the young fox.  
  
“Hey Tails. What brings you here? Is there trouble?” Knuckles asked, skipping most of the pleasantries.  
  
“Hi! How’re you doing?” Tails replied, refusing to allow them to be skipped.  
  
“Pretty good, I guess. Can’t complain. Nice day out. Yourself?”  
  
“Pretty good, all things considered! Haha…” Tails scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “In terms of ‘trouble’...I wouldn’t say so, necessarily…”  
  
Knuckles opened his eyes, giving his friend more of his attention. Not all of it, of course.  
  
“I’ve been wondering...have you heard from Sonic lately?” Tails asked, getting to the point.  
  
“Sonic? Y’know, when I heard the Tornado I figured it was a visit from both of you. Did you really fly all this way just to ask that? Why didn’t you just call?”  
  
Tails scoffed. “I figured it’s a short trip. Besides, sometimes you don’t pick up. You’re almost as bad as Sonic.”  
  
Knuckles chuckled. “Hey, I resent that…”  
  
The two laughed. Although they were very different from one another, there was never any feeling of tension or awkwardness. At least, not anymore. When they had first met, Knuckles had felt a little weird around Tails. He mostly just felt weird because he didn’t know what to talk about with him, and also didn’t want to intimidate him. The fox boy seemed so gentle, almost frail at first. Knuckles knew by now that that was far from the case.  
  
“But really, when was the last you saw him? Or got a call? Asking for a friend,” Tails pushed onward, still keeping a friendly smile.  
  
“Hmm...Sonic, Sonic, Sonic…” Knuckles gave it some thought. It wasn’t unusual for him to receive guests on Angel Island. Although he took his job as guardian of the Master Emerald very seriously, he wasn’t opposed to visitors or even socializing. He was a bit of a loner, but he accepted it as a considerate convenience for his friends to come all the way to the emerald’s shrine to visit him. It meant that they respected that he couldn’t afford to leave, not even for an afternoon.  
  
Most of the times that Knuckles hung out with Sonic, Tails was there as well. Sonic did, occasionally, visit on his own. At first, the echidna was baffled that he could get to the floating island without Tails’s help. Sonic kept his method a secret, but Tails blabbed later on that Sonic had fashioned a ridiculously large ramp on the ground below to launch himself all the way up to Knuckles’s home.  
  
“Hm. I think it was about a week ago. Something like that.”  
  
“You saw him? Or he called?” Tails asked, much more curious than Knuckles anticipated. He started to feel like this wasn’t such a mundane line of questioning.  
  
“He visited. We don’t really talk on the phone. If I’ve got something to say to him, it can usually wait ‘til the next time I see his face,” Knuckles explained. He wasn’t a big phone person himself anyway. “And if he’s got something to say to me, he can find his way here.”  
  
“I see,” Tails said. He seemed to consider his next words carefully. “Did he mention anything specifically? Or, did anything seem unusual in any way?”  
  
The fox officially had Knuckles’s full attention. Out of overprotective paranoia, Knuckles glanced back at the Master Emerald to make sure it was still there. It usually was, considering it didn’t get up and move much. After making certain of it, he stood up and walked towards Tails.  
  
“Uhh, is everything alright?” Knuckles asked.  
  
“Yeah, it’s all fine. I’m just wondering. Amy was asking me. Hopefully that doesn’t change your answer or anything, hahaha.”  
  
“Heh...no, I don't think anything seemed unusual. He was just his usual Sonic self. He gave me some updates on what folks are up to, as you two usually do when you stop by. He did a bunch of bragging about his travels, like always. He just LOVES rubbing his lifestyle in because he knows I just sit here to guard the emerald every day. Then, since I wasn’t lettin’ him have it, he tossed a rock at me.”  
  
Knuckles noticed Tails’s concerned expression.  
  
“Nah, it wasn’t like a big thing. We were just joking around. I tossed a rock back. We exchanged some punches, some kicks. Just a lil’ bit of boxing, for old times. Like a spar, y’know? But no, nothing weird. He seemed like his usual self to me, I think.”  
  
Tails nodded. “Yeah, that all sounds like him. And like you, haha.”  
  
Knuckles ignored that. “Why are you asking, anyway? Did something happen? Is it...Eggman?”  
  
Tails shook his head, seemingly quick to avoid any confusion.  
  
“No, no, it’s not Eggman or anything. It’s just...it seems like nobody’s heard from him in a while. About a week, like you said. For most people it’s been even longer. He’s not picking up any calls. I know that’s not necessarily unusual, but it still rubs me the wrong way,” Tails explained. “And Amy is getting worried.”  
  
Knuckles scoffed. Then, he gave it some more thought. He weighed the possibilities of this being an emergency or just being an average day.  
  
“I mean...I don’t think it’s worth getting really worried,” he said, his voice calm. “Getting a hold of Sonic is always hard. If he found himself in a fight he couldn’t win, he would contact us. If he stumbled on something major, he would report it back. Especially since we all started keeping communicators on us. I can’t imagine something bad happened…”  
  
That last part made Tails hesitate. He took a brief moment of silence before suggesting anything.  
  
“I guess you’re right. Unless….unless he was doing something really careless, like swimming or sailing or something. Water isn’t exactly his strong suit,” Tails wondered, with a worried look spreading across his face.  
  
“I mean, yeah. But...come on. You don’t need ME of all people to remind you that you programmed something for that. Don’t the communicators send out a distress signal if they’re cut off from air for more than ten seconds? Or something like that?”  
  
Tails nodded. He surely didn’t forget how his own devices worked, but maybe the worry was starting to cloud his thinking.  
  
“So then he’s fine. Tell Amy that. I promise I’ll keep an eye out, and next time he visits I’ll call you ASAP,” Knuckles reassured. The look on his friend’s face didn’t waver, so he continued, “And, y’know...if you figure it’s an emergency, give me a call. I’ll come running. You know I’m always ready to throw fists if one of my pals is in danger. Even if I gotta abandon my post.”  
  
Tails smiled at that. He gave a timid thumbs-up.  
  
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate that.” He gave a wave, and started walking back the way he came. “I know it’s all probably nothing, but I think I’ll feel a little more at ease if I keep looking. I’ll take the Tornado around to the different zones and search around, just to eliminate some of the possibilities. I’ll check some of the dangerous areas, like the abandoned Chemical Plant and Launch Base and stuff like that. I’ll keep you posted if I see him. See ya!”  
  
“Sounds like a plan. Chin up, Tails. I’m sure he’ll turn up,” Knuckles grinned, nodding at the fox while he left.  
  
A minute later, Knuckles watched the Tornado II take off into the distance. Angel Island was left to its natural, silent beauty. Thick jungle leaves brushed quietly against each other. Rushing water could be heard in the distance. The echidna took a deep breath, taking in the smells that always put him as ease. He sat back down on the stone steps, finding a comfortable position in a spot where the stone had worn down into a smooth curve.  
  
Knuckles returned his attention to the task at hand, which was protecting the Master Emerald. Part of the reason he wasn't itching to go on a cross-country chase for Sonic was because he hated leaving this place. It was his duty to protect this shrine, and this emerald, even if his friends didn't understand why. He didn't fully understand it himself. The Master Emerald had a deep connection to the Chaos Emeralds, of course, and could neutralize or enhance their power. But it was more than that.  
  
More than once, Tails had offered to take this sacred duty off his hands. He reasoned that he could build a special containment pod that not only kept the emerald safe in his workshop, but could also re-create the properties of the shrine itself. If the emerald stayed there, behind an array of security systems, Knuckles would be free to do whatever he wanted all day.  
  
While Tails had good intentions, and it was a kind offer, Knuckles always refused. It just wasn't the same thing. Guarding the Master Emerald at its shrine was tradition, it was sacred. It may have sounded silly to his friends, but it was important to Knuckles to uphold the traditions of his ancestors, even if he had never met them. With their history and culture wiped away, the only way to keep their memory alive was by respecting their traditions. Even if Knuckles doubted there would be any world-changing consequences if he strayed from his duty, it would definitely affect him personally. Guarding the Master Emerald at its intended place of rest, even going so far as to meditate and pray by it, gave him peace of mind. It made him feel like there was an important place for him in the world.  
  
It also gave his world a rhythm, purpose, and consistency that, although he would never admit it aloud, made him happy to continue performing the role of guardian. Even if it made him sound old-fashioned.  
  
The familiarity helped calm his nerves. Although he had virtually no doubt that Sonic was completely fine, the topic had gotten his heart-rate up. With more gentle breathing, all of the worries dissolved away.  
  
The few seconds of peace and quiet were quickly interrupted.  
  
“That’s it? Those were your sage words of advice, and now you’re gonna take a nap?”  
  
The snarky voice cut through the silence, feeling like a legitimate attack on the serenity of the island. Knuckles practically growled.  
  
“You know...the whole ‘I’ve been hiding behind you and then I jump out’ thing was funny the first time. MAYBE the second time. Now it’s just-”  
  
Rouge couldn’t help but laugh. “Easy there, easy there. Down, boy. It’s not a sneak attack. I’m just making conversation. I thought you liked surprise visitors?”  
  
Knuckles turned to find the bat, always a thorn in his side, gliding down from a tall treetop. She came to a rest in the worst possible place, on top of the Master Emerald itself. She stretched out, kicking her legs back and forth like it was her favorite armchair.  
  
Knuckles frowned. Rouge smiled.  
  
“So anyway, don’t try to change the subject,” Rouge continued, trying but failing to hide her grin. “What was THAT shameful display? Was that your big ‘Friend of the Year’ moment? The little guy seemed awfully concerned.”  
  
Knuckles didn’t take the bait. “Shut up. What do you want?”  
  
“A lil’ hospitality, for starters. Is this any way to treat a lady?” Not needing to see Knuckles’s reaction, Rouge simply let her eyes glide over the island. She took it all in with interest, like she was planning to move in next-door.  
  
“You always think there’s some kind of catch,” Rouge said, looking back to him and meeting his gaze. She always made him nervous, and she could tell. “I thought everything was water under the bridge between us. Can’t we just talk like a couple of friends? Acquaintances, maybe?”  
  
Knuckles crossed his arms. Friendship with him was a long process, and there weren’t many open slots for it.  
  
“I’m not here to tease you,“ she chuckled. “Originally, I was just here to take a spa day on your amazing island resort. But now I’ve got way bigger concerns. Sonic’s missing, and you’re fine with just hanging tight, big man?”  
  
“He’s not MISSING,” Knuckles barked back. “Tails and Amy are just asking if I’ve heard from him lately. He’s always on the move. He’s just like this, you wouldn’t get it.”  
  
Rouge traced her fingers along the upper edges of the Master Emerald, its glow dancing and glimmering across her gloves like the tide. She looked deep into the jewel, the centerpiece of the island and of Knuckles’s life. Although she never expressed any ill-will towards it after her first encounter with the echidna and Dr. Eggman, she still admired it for its beauty.  
  
After a few seconds of silence, she spoke. “I know it’s probably hard for you...to picture your friend being in trouble. But just because it hurts to picture it doesn’t mean you should shove the possibility to the side. Sure, maybe it’s nothing. But it sounds to me like your other friends are taking some reasonable precautions. I hate to say it, but I’m a lil’ disappointed that you won’t show more initiative.”  
  
Her voice was surprisingly sincere. It lacked the usual bite that she used when she was mocking him.  
  
Knuckles sighed, trying not to get annoyed. “If they need me for something, they’ll call. If there’s someone to fight, I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”  
  
“It’s funny to me that you assume that the worst thing that Sonic could face is a fight. I guess I’m not surprised...that’s just how you’re wired, huh?”  
  
“Well what’s your big plan, then?” Knuckles threw his hands up in frustration, stepping towards the bat. He didn’t like her habit of laying around on the emerald, and was hoping he could intimidate her and shoo her away.  
  
It didn’t work.  
  
“Your friends have their hearts in the right place, but they’re going about it all wrong. It’s cute, almost. Sonic isn’t missing. He just doesn’t WANT to be FOUND. It’s different. And it requires a different methodology.”  
  
Rouge rolled over, laying down and making herself comfortable and at home on her favorite perch. After noting the echidna’s frustration, she gave in and hopped off with a shrug.  
  
“Sorry, I’m being mean again. I promised you I’d be nicer. At least a little bit.”  
  
Knuckles couldn’t tell if she was joking, or actually apologizing.  
  
“Here, to make it up to you…” Rouge patted him on the head and walked by, not slowing down. “...I’ll go find Sonic. I have an idea of how to find him.”  
  
Knuckles took a step forward, but he knew she wouldn’t stay longer. “You know where he is?”  
  
“Not yet I don’t. But I’m an expert at tracking valuable things down, remember?” Without waiting for any remarks, she leapt into the air with a single flap of her wings. She gracefully rose into the sky, kicked her heel off a tree trunk, and flipped into a comfortable glide. “I know I don’t hang around your clique very often, but I can’t stand hearing your friends sound so worried. This is me being genuine, by the way. So if you’re not going to help, I guess it’s up to me.”  
  
And with that, she was gone.  
  
Knuckles would have shouted something at her as she left, but he was embarrassed to find that the moment caught him speechless.


	3. Irrational

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy explores ruins in the desert, searching for Sonic. Sonic meets a new friend.

Amy swung her hammer, knocking away a robot's head in frustration.

_Not only is there no sign of Sonic, but this place is full of junk._

She sighed, brushing dust off of her dress and taking inventory of her surroundings.

She was deep in an old cavern. Or tomb? She wasn't quite sure. It was sandy and full of bricks and cobwebs. It was just one of the many places she and her friends had adventured through, clearing out little laboratories and factories that Eggman had set up long ago to stall their chases of him. They had probably found a Chaos Emerald in here or something the first time, she couldn't remember anymore.

For now, it was just a dusty old robot graveyard. Dozens of Eggman's old creations were scattered about the twisting halls, broken and long forgotten. It was dark and quiet, aside from the occasional stray spark from an old circuit.

It was a ridiculous place for Amy to be spending her afternoon, but no place was too ridiculous to find Sonic hanging around.

She continued forward, lighting old torches on the wall to light the way.

There were at least a dozen things she would rather be spending her time doing. They weren't even all "work" things. She could have penciled in time to take a nap, or hit the beach, or play volleyball with friends. This could have been a "zone out on the couch" kind of day.

Instead, it was a "search for Sonic and be worried sick" kind of day.

"Bet he doesn't get this worked up when he hasn't heard from ME in a week," she huffed, knocking another busted robot out of her way. She leaned on her hammer like a cane and sighed. She could barely even muster the energy to act mad. She was mostly just scared.

And sad.

"Do you need some help looking?"

Amy shrieked, spinning around and nearly losing her balance. Her voice rang out, echoing through the halls and bouncing off the cracked stone ceilings. By the time the high-pitched shout finally faded, she had blinked the panic away and seen the source of the question.

It was Cream the Rabbit. Her friend.

"Oops! I didn't mean to scare you...I guess I should've been a little more careful," she apologized politely, bowing her head.

"Cream! What are you doing here?!"

Cream clapped her hands together, unsurprised by Amy's reaction. "Umm, well...I followed you!"

Amy waved her arms wildly, gesturing to the musty tomb around them.

"It's dangerous in here! I think you should head back home," she said, careful to make her tone convey more of a concerned suggestion than a command.

Cream shook her head. “Ever since you told me yesterday that you haven’t heard from Mr. Sonic in so long...I couldn’t help but worry about him! And worry about you too! Then this morning I saw you heading out somewhere. You were wearing that backpack and you were running, like you were in a hurry, so I decided to follow along behind you…”  
  
Amy stifled a chuckle. She couldn’t stay mad at Cream. Her friend was always trying to help her, even if it came across a little childish sometimes. A little company couldn’t hurt, even though these old Eggman labyrinths were genuinely unsafe.  
  
“Hah...well, if you really wanna help me out...stay close. I don’t want us to get separated or anything,” Amy conceded.  
  
Cream clapped lightly, bouncing with excitement. She hopped towards Amy and stayed close as they explored further into the ruins. Old robots stared at them as they passed, like withering gargoyles. The girls called out for Sonic, their voices traveling far in the cavernous darkness. They checked every chamber, looking in every nook and cranny that they could find.  
  
Amy considered calling Tails, who she had spoken to in the morning. She kept hesitating, afraid of seeming pushy. Tails had said he would report back “after lunch”, so Amy was giving him the benefit of the doubt that he would report back if he had something to say. Sometimes it felt like Tails was the only person she could trust with anything important these days. She figured, and hoped, that he felt the same way. They had become closer friends ever since their last run-in with Eggman.

They both seemed to share the same vision; the same mindset that being a hero was a task that also required community, re-construction, scientific study, and boring paperwork. They both shared a habit of helping their friends and neighbors in more ways than just busting bots in battle.  
  
Beep beep. Beep beep.  
  
The sudden, shrill sound made both of the girls jump. Amy shook it off, pretending she hadn’t been scared.  
  
As if he could read her mind, Tails was calling.  
  
Amy flipped open her wrist communicator and answered.  
  
“H-Hello?” This place gave Amy the creeps and put her on edge, but she tried to swallow the fear and sound presentable.  
  
“Hey Amy, it’s Tails,” the familiar voice greeted in his everyday tone.  
  
“Hey, how’s it going?”  
  
“Not so great. At least, I haven’t been able to find him or learn much on my end. I dropped by Angel Island, but I didn’t see Sonic anywhere and Knuckles didn’t seem to know anything. Since then, I’ve been taking the Tornado for a tour around to as many places as I can. Checking Eggman’s old power plants and factories and all that. I haven’t been able to spot him.”  
  
Amy sighed. She wasn’t surprised, but she had been getting her hopes up that if anyone could get a hold of him, it would be his best friend. “Ahh...okay. That’s alright, we’ll keep looking.”  
  
“Any luck on your end?”  
  
“Not really,” she answered, glancing around at her surroundings. Had they walked down this hallway already? It was getting hard to keep track. “I’ve been looking underground. Making stops at all of those caves and ruins, you know? Like the ones near the desert? I know it sounds stupid, but it’s not like Sonic hasn’t hung around here before. Remember that time he was racing through these and then sent us a leaderboard of his PB times?”  
  
Tails laughed. “Yeah, I suppose it’s possible that he could be in a strange place like that.”  
  
“Oh, Cream is with me, by the way.”  
  
“Hii Tails!” Cream excitedly called towards the communicator from a few feet away. She waved with enthusiasm, despite the fact that Tails couldn’t see them.  
  
“Hi! That’s good, going in there alone is pretty dangerous.”  
  
There was a pause. Nobody really knew what to say.  
  
Tails eventually broke the awkward silence.  
  
“Well, I guess I’ll get back to it. I probably shouldn’t stay on the phone too long, I don’t think that’s proper flight protocol, hahaha. I’m going to keep looking around. Call me if you find anything. I’ll keep you posted.”  
  
“Sounds great, Tails!” Amy tried to inject some cheer into her voice. “We’ll keep you posted too! You know...maybe tonight would be a good night to hang out! You, me, and Cream can head to Angel Island and just kinda...hang. We can do ice cream. It’s been a while. And Sonic too, if we...find him.”  
  
There was a half-second of hesitation, then a voice came through, “Yup, sounds good! I could go for some relaxation after all this, haha. Let’s iron out the plans later. Bye!”  
  
Tails hung up, leaving Amy and Cream alone in the darkness.  
  
“Oh, oh, you know…” Cream stepped towards Amy. “Maybe Big has seen Mr. Sonic! Did you call him yet?”  
  
Amy squinted, trying to gauge if her friend was joking. “Uh, Cream...I don’t think Big the Cat has seen Sonic.”  
  
“Aww, why not?” Cream seemed disappointed that her one and only idea was getting shot down.  
  
“I mean, if none of us have heard from him, why would Big? But...well...I guess anything’s worth a shot.”  
  
Amy returned her attention to her communicator, pecked at a small button to scroll through her contacts, and dialed for Big the Cat. It rang for a while. Big was still using an old, bulky walkie-talkie model. He claimed to have no need for an earpiece or a wrist model. Amy always tried to pitch him on it, saying he could take calls with a hands-free device while fishing. Instead, he decided to just be really late with picking up every call.  
  
Eventually, he picked up.  
  
“Hullo?" Big’s voice seemed to slowly drip through the speakers, like old honey.  
  
“Hey Big, it’s Amy. Real quick, I had a question for ya. Have you heard from Sonic lately?”  
  
“Hmmmmm...nope, I haven’t. Why, is something wrong?” Big took a second to think. “Is it Mr. Eggman?”  
  
“Nah, we don’t think it’s Eggman. He’s just being a big ol’ meanie and not picking up any of our calls. Figured I’d ask around if anyone has heard from him. Thanks bud, I appreciate it!”  
  
“Any time!”  
  
Amy hung up. No luck.  
  
_I mean, obviously._  
  
Amy turned to give Cream some sort of I-told-you-so look when suddenly a dark shape lunged between them. She couldn’t even compute what was happening before she hit the ground, evidently knocked off of her feet. Her friend screamed.  
  
“What was-” Amy twisted around, reaching for her hammer and rising to her feet. Without waiting for an explanation, she swung her hammer in the direction of the dark shape. She hoped Cream wouldn’t get hurt in the process.  
  
Her hammer barely grazed off of something metal. The shape landed on the ground, kicking up dust. Amy could see some sort of faint yellow light. Without warning, it lunged at her again. She clumsily side-stepped it. This time, it grazed her. It was sharp, nearly tearing at her dress.  
  
A sharp, screeching metallic sound burst from the dark shape. It slid closer, its head and body jerking erratically from side to side.  
  
It was a Caterkiller, one of Eggman’s old robot models. Amy wasn’t quite sure if that was a nickname given to it by Sonic or by Eggman himself.  
  
It lunged again, but Amy was ready to sidestep it. It was visibly old and falling apart, its faceplate caving in on itself. Behind where its eyes would have been, bright yellow lights were blinking in a rapid pattern. The creepy sight sent a shiver up Amy’s spine, so she quickly dispatched the robot with her hammer.  
  
“You okay?!”  
  
“Yes, I’m fine! Look out!” Cream called.  
  
Amy looked around, not knowing where Cream’s voice was coming from. Her friend was nowhere to be found in the thick darkness. Before she could search for her, more rusting Caterkillers surrounded her. Old Motobug and Orbinaut models appeared, emerging from the darkness like a set of thick curtains. Busted robots seemed like they were reviving themselves all around her feet, dragging themselves to attack her.  
  
Revving wheels screeched against stone, sending the Motobug rocketing towards Amy with unexpected speed. Acting on pure impulse, Amy swung her hammer hard against it, smashing it to pieces.  
  
Before she could celebrate, several Orbinauts surrounded her. Their flying, spiked appendages orbited faster and faster, catching light like saw blades under the dim torches. Amy stepped backwards, afraid of them ripping at her arms. She raised her hammer, trembling slightly, trying to time her strikes just right.  
  
With one swing, she knocked a spiked orb away, burying it in the adjacent wall. Her next swing missed, almost landing her in a dangerous position. Her third swing knocked another orb away, slowly disarming the attackers.  
  
Just as she was getting into a confident rhythm, the tiles burst beneath her. Her feet slipped, almost causing her to tumble. A large Caterkiller leapt up from below, shrapnel shedding off of its body. It lunged towards Amy without a second of hesitation, but suddenly burst into a hundred pieces.  
  
Amy caught a brief blur of Cream, attacking from above. She had spun swiftly into the robot, saving Amy while she was caught off guard. Amy took the afforded seconds to safely deal with the Orbinauts with her hammer.  
  
A few seconds of silence passed, as the robots’ fresh corpses crumbled into nuts and bolts.  
  
Not willing to waste the moment of peace, Cream spurted out, “What should we do?! Why are the old robots attacking us?!”  
  
“I have no idea!” Amy flicked open her wrist communicator and fumbled with the controls, calling Tails back.  
  
“Tails speaking! Did you forget something-”  
  
“HEY! We’re getting attacked by old Eggman bots? They just suddenly sprang back to life, is that a thing? Is that like a thing that happens?!” Amy didn’t have time to word it more eloquently.  
  
“Are you okay?! Umm...yeah, that is a thing that can happen sometimes…” Tails racked his brain during the sudden panic.  
  
More metal screeching echoed through the tomb, as robots surrounding the girls. They pushed forward in unexpected patterns, shaking and strafing in irrational spurts. Random alarms and metallic howls rang out from their bodies at scattered intervals. Strobing yellow lights nearly blinded Amy.  
  
Cream leapt into the air with a flap of her ears, and tried to pick off enemies that were safe enough to dispose of with kicks. Amy defended herself with her hammer as robots lunged towards her, sharp teeth and steel barbs just barely missing her.  
  
Tails continued, “Um, um...do you see any flashing yellow lights? Like a fast flickering, on-and-off, behind their eyes?”  
  
“Yes, yes, what does that mean?!” Amy shouted, as more and more robots piled into the hallway. The rapid yellow flashing filled the area, lighting the ruins brighter than the lit torches. Nearly every one of Eggman’s old robots was broken apart, like fallen legions brought back to life. Many were missing limbs, or their faces had long peeled away, exposing harsh wires and circuitry.  
  
“It’s a sign of malfunction...it means the robots are just attacking irrationally at anything they can detect in the vicinity. The chips that hold their patrolling data have probably decayed with age, so their bodies are just lashing out.”  
  
Cream swooped behind Amy, kicking away Motobugs that were swerving dangerously close.  
  
“In fact,” Tails’s voice stuttered, his mind racing. “I-...I think in that state, some of them could even self-destruct! If they malfunction without any AI or patrol data, and they get crowded or stuck without enough space to move, Eggman rigged them to explode themselves so that they wouldn’t turn on him! It’s cramped in there, get out immediately!”  
  
Amy nearly dropped her hammer, stumbling forward to push attackers out of the way. Her boot pressed into a loose tile, triggering long spikes to burst out from the stone floor. Her heart skipped a beat, but she was unscathed.  
  
More spike traps triggered around them in the darkness, making it it difficult to proceed forward. Cream flew above her, but nearly hit her head against the stone above.  
  
“The ceilings are so low, I can barely fly…!” Cream kept near her friend. “What should we do? Should we run back the way we came? How far was the entrance?”  
  
A group of robots stumbled over each other, all lurching towards them at once. Amy kicked them away, pushing some onto the spikes. Beads of sweat began to fall from her head. It was starting to feel hard to breathe.  
  
Amy glanced up at the ceiling, an array of dusty stone tiles.  
  
“Pretty far, I think. And who knows where the exit is...” She bit her lip.  
  
“...so we’re making a new one!”  
  
Amy gripped her hammer, steadying herself, and swung it like a golf club. With nearly perfect form, she launched a busted robot’s head upward, striking the ceiling.  
  
“C’mon!”  
  
Amy sidestepped another lunging Caterkiller, then knocked its head clean off. The head ricocheted off the ceiling, leaving a crack in the stone. Cream caught on, and began throwing rocks upward. She bounced up and kicked the tiles herself, while Amy warded off the attackers that were beginning to pile into the hall in an indiscriminate tidal wave of rusted iron.  
  
Cream somersaulted into a rapid Spin Dash, bouncing off the floor and smashing into the ceiling above. Before she could return to the ground, Amy leapt towards her and swiftly swung her hammer. She knocked Cream back up into the ceiling with ferocity. Stone began to chip away, and dust began to shower them. She swung again, hitting Cream on the return. Cream began to bounce faster and faster, smashing the tiles apart. Amy kept up her rhythm, launching the rabbit back up harder and harder.  
  
The tomb began to cave in around them, rocks tumbling from above. Amy lifted her arm, protecting her head from any possible injuries.  
  
“Let’s go, let’s go! Take me!” Amy shouted, with no time for asking politely.  
  
Cream grabbed Amy’s wrist tightly and flapped her ears, sending them soaring into the air. Amy swung her hammer around wildly, knocking the incoming debris away. Sunlight and sand began to pour in from above, both enveloping them.  
  
The whole world shook around them as the tomb crumbled in on itself. Metallic screeches roared out from the ruins as the remaining swarms were crushed in the cave-in.  
  
Amy closed her eyes tight as they rose into the sky, the light blinding all around them. She swayed violently back and forth as Cream did her best to hold on tight.  
  
Suddenly, a loud explosion rung out from the ruins. Then another. Then another. Trapped under the rubble, Eggman's old soldiers were disposing of themselves. The thought unnerved her, even though they were just mindless machines.  
  
A few seconds passed, and the sounds faded.  
  
Amy realized she had been holding her breath for quite some time.  
  
“Ha...thank you...ha...so much...ha...Cream…”  
  
“We did it! Ahhh, we’re safe!” Cream celebrated, her voice cracking with relief.  
  
Amy opened her eyes, and was greeted with an endless expanse of blue skies and golden dunes. The landscape was strikingly empty. The only sign of the intricate network of ruins below them was the hole they had just burst out of.  
  
They were finally safe. Shivers of fear began to work their way down and out of Amy’s body.  
  
Cream ruined the moment with a voice of disappointment, “Aww...we weren’t able to find any signs of Mr. Sonic anywhere in there. I’m sorry, Amy…”  
  
Amy shook her head. “It’s fine. He’s somewhere. We’ll find him...”  
  
She stopped herself. She paused, as the stress of the day caught up to her.  
  
_What am I doing? Why am I...doing this? I’m out here, searching the world, almost getting me and Cream killed...for what? To find Sonic?_  
  
Amy gripped Cream’s arm, hanging on tight.  
  
_I’m worried sick to my stomach, but what makes today different from any other day? He’s always like this. He always does this to us. To me. He’s gone. He doesn’t want to talk to us. So why am I risking everything to find him?_  
  
_I have my own friends. I have my own life.  
  
If he doesn’t care about us...why should I- _  
  
Amy exhaled, a slow and weak sigh escaping into the air. She didn't want to finish the thought.  
  
“Hey...what do you say we just call it quits for today? Let’s take a break,” Amy announced with clarity in her voice. Suddenly the pit in her stomach, the tight knot of fear and worry and dread, began to fade away. She pushed it out of her mind, until it was a distant memory. As far as she was concerned, the rest of the day was now wide open.  
  
“I could go for that ice cream right about now.”  
  
  
\------  
  
  
A homely-looking barn sat in the field, sticking out against the flat and unremarkable surroundings. The trees were sparser over here, just occasionally dotting people’s yards or marking a special building.  
  
_Is this the place?_  
  
Sonic walked towards the barn, taking his time. He kept his hands tucked in his pockets and made sure not to draw any attention to himself. When he finally arrived at the barn, there was nobody to be found. Sonic took it upon himself to circle around to the back of the building, following his gut feeling that the person he was looking for was waiting for him there.  
  
He turned out to be right.  
  
Standing still as a statue, hunched over a cane, was an older woman. She was a wolf, with a small stature and faded purple fur. In her hey-day, she might have stood roughly as tall as Sonic, but her posture and age diminished her presence. It was hard to tell if she would blow away in the wind like a leaf or if she was fixed to the field like a stone. Layers of scarves and cardigans kept her well-equipped for the cool wind.  
  
She barely moved or changed expression when Sonic approached in his disguise. She took a long, calm breath through her nose and turned to him. Friendly green eyes stared behind reading glasses.  
  
For a moment, she was silent. Sonic dug through his jacket pocket and retrieved the folded-up flyer. He resisted the urge to flip it out carelessly and instead took his time, slowly and carefully unfolding each crease. He didn’t have a lot of experience hanging around older folks, and was mindful not to be disrespectful.  
  
“Uh, howdy...ma’am…” Sonic began, coughing nervously to break the ice. “I take it you’re the one who put this flyer up on the billboard, right? Or am I at the wrong barn?”  
  
The wolf smiled warmly, happy to have company.  
  
“You’re in the right place. Thank you so much, I wasn’t sure if anyone would come by. I only put the flyers up a few days ago, but I was worrying that nobody would be interested. I always forget my patience.”  
  
Sonic’s eyes became fixed on a woven basket sitting beside her, wrapped in blankets. He brushed his heel back and forth in the dirt, nervously.  
  
“You’re really making a world of difference, I cannot thank you enough. I’ve raised a lot of young’uns, and having a warm and loving foster parent can mean so much to them.” The wolf clasped her hands together, recalling some array of fond memories. “Both of you will get so much from the experience, I promise.”  
  
Sonic nearly lost his balance in a panic.  
  
“F-foster parent?” He sputtered out the words. “I-is that really what we’re...callin’ it? I think I’m more a ‘babysitter’ kind of guy. Or maybe, like…’coach’? Can we do ‘coach’?”  
  
He held the flyer up to his nose, his eyes scanning back-and-forth over the slip of paper to re-read the request and make sure he knew what he was getting into.  
  
The wolf chuckled. She wasn’t laughing at Sonic, but she found his reaction to be quite adorable.  
  
“A coach, huh? You can call yourself whatever you’d like. It’s all the same to me.”  
  
She bent over slowly, leaning heavily on her cane, to pick up the basket. She lifted it up towards Sonic, inviting him to unwrap the blankets. The hedgehog hesitated. Were his hands shaking?  
  
_Relax, dude. It’s just a…_  
  
Sonic pinched a corner of the blanket and gently, perhaps more gently than anything he’s done in his entire life, unfolded it. Inside the basket lay a baby Chao, staring up at him with large, curious eyes. The Chao cooed excitedly at the sight of a new face. A sharp feeling shot through Sonic’s body. He couldn’t identify what it was. It could be just the natural reaction to seeing a cute baby, or it could be some sort of brotherly instinct to protect it, or it could be something else entirely. Did it make sense to feel proud of someone that you’ve just laid eyes upon?  
  
“Cute, right? They’re just a few days old. Very well-behaved, always a delight, you’ll have no problems at all. They love Square Fruit and Mushrooms, they just gobble them up. I’ll prepare a basket for you, and you can always run back here if you need any more.”  
  
The Chao was young, but was already starting to show a little growth. Their skin was a bright cyan, with dark green highlights already beginning to form on their hands, feet, and crown of their head. Gentle spikes protruded from the back of their head, not unlike Sonic’s windswept quills.  
  
Sonic stared at it, barely hearing anything the lady was telling him.  
  
“As you can probably tell from the colorations and head shape, they can be a speedy little fellow. Started crawling around the house much earlier than all of their siblings. They’ve even begun walking, just this morning they made it from the kitchen table to...”  
  
Sonic barely heard a word. The Chao stared deeply into his eyes, smiling. The hedgehog smiled back, almost instinctively. He gently took hold of the basket, and immediately the Chao rested their soft little hand on Sonic’s thumb.  
  
“...and at that moment, I decided to name them Piper! Because of how piping hot my coffee had come out, ahaha. It’s silly, I know. Anyway, I was thinking it would be really nice if little Piper could participate in the town Chao Races. They seem to have a knack for getting around the house and exploring, so I think they would find the racing awfully fun. Plus, activities like that are so wonderful at building confidence in a young Chao. Wouldn’t you agree?”  
  
“Uh huh…”  
  
“I think Piper would make a pretty sporty runner. Think you could nudge them in the right direction, coach? I hope you have some experience with running, don’t wear yourself out.”  
  
Sonic laughed. “Yeah, I think I know a thing or two. I’ll see what I can teach them.”  
  
“Wonderful! Ohh, I’m so excited you came by. Piper, sweetie, you’re going to spend a few days with this kind young man, ummm…” The woman gestured towards Sonic, realizing she didn’t have a name yet.  
  
“Oh! Uhhh…Chuck! Pleasure to meet ya.” Sonic nervously adjusted his beanie.  
  
“A few fun days with Chuck! You’ll get to explore the world outside of the dusty little barn. I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun together. When you get home, maybe you and I can run a little race around the pumpkin patch. And I’ll make you warm Mushroom stew.” The wolf smiled at Piper, caressing their head with love.  
  
The woman let go of the basket, leaving it fully in Sonic’s care.  
  
“Again, thank you so much for coming by. It’s always a struggle to find ways to get these Chao off the farm and exploring the world, meeting new faces. I must ask, I ask everyone who comes by...what drew you to my flyer for foster parents? Do you, um, have little tikes of your own?”  
  
The color drained from Sonic’s face at the thought of being an actual parent. Now or any time in the future.  
  
“What? Ohhh, no, no, no. Hahaha, not really...I’m just...I was just staying in town for a bit and thought I could help out. I’m on a bit of a, uh, vacation right now. And everyone I’ve met so far has been so sweet, so I figured why not pay it forward, y’know?” Sonic looked back at Piper, the Chao that was still staring at him with curiosity. “I’m sure I can teach junior a few tricks. They’ll be running laps around this place before ya know it!”  
  
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, and Chao-raising tips, Sonic was off.  
  
The old woman mentioned that Piper might need a bath, and offered that Sonic could wash them off in her basin in the barn. Not wanting to extend the visit any longer, Sonic insisted that he could figure it out on his own. She said it might be nice to swim around in a lake near town, so Sonic made his way there.  
  
With Piper in his care, Sonic had no choice but to take it slow and walk from place to place. The world seemed infinitely larger and more empty when a trip from one side of town to the other took ten minutes.  
  
He shook his head, trying to shake off the impatience and enjoy the moment. He had to learn how to enjoy a quiet, peaceful stroll on a nice day.  
  
After a fuzzy amount of time passed, he finally arrived at the lake safe and sound. Halfway through the trip, Piper had clambered out of their basket and crawled up Sonic’s shoulder, hitching a ride on top of his warm beanie. Sonic allowed it, not wanting to be a lame babysitter.  
  
“Alright, cool! Bath time! A few splashes and then it’s right into training, got that bud?” Sonic laughed nervously, patting the baby Chao who laughed in turn. “If you can’t keep pace with me, how are you gonna stand a chance against all those other Chao kids at the big race?”  
  
Sonic took Piper in his arms and kneeled down at the edge of the water. Not knowing exactly what the bathing procedure should be, he unceremoniously dipped Piper in the water a few times. The Chao didn’t seem afraid of the water, as long as their head remained above the surface. Sonic cupped some water in his hands and awkwardly poured it over the Chao’s head. Wanting to get the process over with, he pet their head and then reached to scoop them out of the water.  
  
A voice croaked from nearby: “Look out for Froggy! Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite!”  
  
Sonic nearly screamed at the top of his lungs.  
  
There, sitting right beside him, was…  
  
“BIG?!”  
  
Big the Cat, in all his fluffy glory, was sitting just a few yards away. His trademark fishing rod rested in his grip, its line extending far into the lake. A small, solitary tree kept him in the shade. Sonic could hardly fault him for his presence, he was just being regular old Big doing regular Big stuff. In other words, sitting and fishing. If anything, Sonic’s presence was the intrusion.  
  
“Mr. Sonic?” Big wondered, nonchalantly seeing through Sonic’s disguise immediately.  
  
“Uh...I...Uh....yeah, that’s me.” Sonic gave up.  
  
“Nice day huh?” Big seemed unsurprised and unfazed by the hedgehog. He called for his frog, who was swimming near Piper. “C’mere, Froggy!”  
  
Sonic plucked Piper out of the water and placed them gently in their basket. They were dripping, ruining the fuzzy blankets.  
  
“Yeah, not too bad,” Sonic replied, trying to calm his nerves from being recognized. “Just hangin’, huh? Me too, me too.”  
  
Big looked past him, at Piper in their basket.  
  
“Huh...I didn’t know you had a baby Chao, Mr. Sonic.”  
  
“I DON’T!” Sonic answered reflexively. “I mean, not really, I’m just kinda doing a babysitting thing. Gotta get them up-and-runnin’ in the next few days, y’know...junior league races and all that junk. It’s really more of a coaching thing, actually. Not babysitting.”  
  
Big paused, like he needed time to compute all of that information. “Ahhh...that sounds fun!”  
  
Sonic tried to plaster a grin on his face, “Yup, fun fun fun. Lots of fun. Hey, I’m headin’ off now. Uhh, if Amy asks, you never saw me. That sound good?”  
  
“Hmm...yes siree, I never saw ya!” Big smiled, returning his blank stare to the lake.  
  
“That’s why you’re the best, Big.” Sonic grabbed the basket and walked past, patting Big the Cat on the shoulder. He zipped up his jacket and pushed his beanie down.  
  
After another extended walk through the area, Sonic finally found a place that he found remote enough for his satisfaction. He found himself at the base of a few grassy hills, blocking line of sight from further out. When he found flat, even land, he set the basket back down.  
  
“Alright bud, this seems as good a place as any to just chill,” Sonic announced, accepting his fate of one-sided conversations with the baby. Piper babbled incoherently with an amused tone, excited to be out and seeing the open world.  
  
“I can’t say I was expecting to be raising a Chao when I woke up this morning but, hey, whatever life throws at ya. Right?”  
  
He sat down, picking Piper up and placing them on his lap. It was embarrassing and unfamiliar to him, but it seemed like the right thing to do.  
  
“Can’t be too hard. Looking after a kid. No robots to fight, no warships to destroy. You won’t hit me with any chores, or scouting missions. You probably don’t need me to run any village visits, or attend any meetings. No autographs, since you don’t care who I am anyway. You’re not hiding any surprise paperwork for me, are ya Piper?”  
  
Piper bounced up and down excitedly, babbling. They suddenly lunged forward, giving Sonic a big, clumsy hug. The tackle felt like getting poked by a marshmallow.  
  
Sonic grinned.  
  
“Today will be a good day. We’ll make sure of it, you and me. Hey...wanna show me how fast you can run? I’ll run with ya.”


	4. Loners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rouge devises a way to track down Sonic once and for all.

Sonic and his friends were a lot of things. Brave, strong, fast, confident, smart, charismatic, loyal, kind, and so much more.  
  
But they weren’t very creative.  
  
That thought bounced around Rouge’s head, amusing her, as she entered Hot-Fire Fryer’s. Fryer’s was a greasy lunch joint in the northeast corner of Green Hill Zone, and a local favorite.  
  
 _Sonic doesn’t want to be found right now. Which means that he doesn’t want to be recognized. Which, predictably, means that he’s likely wearing some sort of goofy get-up, especially around places he frequents._  
  
Luckily for her, the lunch rush hadn’t started quite yet. Judging by the hours posted on the door, Fryer’s had only opened about an hour or two prior. She stood in line patiently, taking stock of every customer, employee, and child in the establishment. Her eyes drifted over to the menu, large and hand-drawn on a chalkboard. Their most popular items were written larger and centered, drawing the customer’s eye to them.  
  
Among those popular items was the Chili Dog, one of their specialties, which Rouge knew for a fact that Sonic got for lunch whenever he came to Fryer’s.  
  
 _Even while on-the-run, that guy isn’t the type to let habits slide._  
  
When she reached the register, she made her order. An Iced Tea with a plate of Cheese Fries. Something simple (she wasn’t a huge fan of this place anyway), but something that justified sitting down long enough to talk to the owner.  
  
Rouge skipped the tables and booths and opted to sit up at the bar on a stool. It was ridiculous to have Iced Tea and Cheese Fries up at the bar, but this was a ridiculous mission after all.  
  
The owner, Richie, brought her the order. Despite owning the joint, Richie seemed to work most shifts, even on the front-lines. He was familiar with Rouge by this point.  
  
“You never struck me as a Cheese Fries kinda person,” he grunted, amused.  
  
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Rouge smiled. She sipped her tea.  
  
Before Richie stepped away, she butted in to make small talk.  
  
“Honestly, this hits the spot. It’s so freakin' _hot_ out these past few days. This town can’t catch a break, huh?”  
  
“Yeah it’s another scorcher today. You try standing by deep-fryers all day.” He didn’t seem very interested in whatever Rouge had to say.  
  
Rouge chuckled. “I’ve got this friend...he ALWAYS overdresses for the weather. He looks ridiculous, all bundled up, sweating his tail off. Actually, I think he was just here recently. He said was a big fan of your Chili Dogs. Ring any bells? I can’t remember what day he said he came in.”  
  
The owner, who seemed to have one foot ready to exit the conversation, paused to give it some actual thought.  
  
“Actually, yeah, that does sound familiar. I remember a guy coming in here like it was winter or somethin’. What a weirdo. Heh, no offense.”  
  
 _Got him._  
  
“I even offered that he could take his hat and coat off. Put it on the stool next to ya, what do I care? Get comfortable. But he wouldn’t budge. Just ate and left. Glad he liked it, though. It was weird, but I’ll take what I can get.”  
  
Rouge swirled her tea with her straw, chewing on fries. “What day did he come by anyway? Like yesterday, right?”  
  
Richie shook his head. “Nahh, nahh...it was, like...three or four days ago. Something like that.”  
  
Rouge had no more questions. She continued working on her Cheese Fries until the owner walked away and became distracted with something else. She stood up, gulped the rest of her tea down, and tossed the fries in the nearest garbage can.  
  
 _First stop, down.  
_  
Rouge wasted no time. She traveled from town to town, from food stand to food stand. She visited all the types of places that she knew Sonic liked to eat at. She made conversation with the employees, casually bringing up this friend of hers. She dropped details like that he was overdressed, or had blue fur. Many of her visits were successful, catching the workers’ recognition.  
  
Some said they saw him five days ago. Some saw him two days ago. On one day he was wearing a hood, on another day a red beanie. The outfit was always slightly different. Slowly but surely, Rouge charted out Sonic’s past few days of travel on a map, based on the sequence of town visits. Before long, a pattern emerged. He was heading north, at least generally. He was heading further and further away from Green Hill Zone.  
  
Rouge headed north, trying her best to close in on him. If he didn’t know she was coming, maybe he would get sloppy, or slow down. Her wings were getting sore, so she definitely would need to sleep for the night, but she felt confident that it wouldn’t be long before Sonic was found.  
  
Giving her wings a break, Rouge walked along the hiking trail that connected her route to the next few towns and villages. She had ditched her usual boots a few hours earlier and opted instead for comfortable sneakers. She was determined, not stupid.  
  
Rouge squinted against the brilliant orange sky. The sun had just begun to set, reminding her of how long of a day it had been. She tapped a button on her earpiece. There were a few calls she felt obligated to make before the day was over.  
  
She flipped the main module of the earpiece open with a flick of her finger, and deftly tapped into the keypad.  
  
Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.  
  
“What is it?” Shadow answered with gruff impatience.

“Really? That’s all I get? We really need to work on your-”  
  
“Are you in danger?”  
  
Rouge sighed. “No. No danger. This is a total long-shot, but I figured I might as well ask...have you heard from Sonic lately?”  
  
“No. Is that it?”  
  
“Yeah, just figured I would-”  
  
Shadow hung up on her. Classic.  
  
Rouge didn’t feel so down about it. Without skipping a beat, she dialed another number into the keypad.  
  
Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep.  
  
“H-hello…?”  
  
“Hi Tails, it’s Rouge. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time?”  
  
The fox seemed genuinely caught off-guard. “Oh, hi! H-how do you have my phone number?”  
  
“I always have my ways, Miles. Don’t worry about it.”  
  
“Okay but how-...er, nevermind. What’s up? Is everything alright?” Even in his confusion, Tails was still a do-gooder. As much as she tried to put up a tough persona, Rouge was genuinely relieved that Sonic and her friends often had her back.  
  
“Yes, everything’s just fine. How about yourself? A little birdie told me that you were looking for Sonic, something like that? Is everything okay?”  
  
There was a brief pause. Tails was either nervous, or maybe trying to consider how much he wanted to divulge.  
  
“Yeah, everything’s good. No emergency. But...yes, we’re looking for Sonic. Er, ‘we’ meaning Amy and I and some other folks. Nobody’s heard from him in a while, like a week. We don’t really know where he is. It doesn’t really matter, I guess, but...it’d just be nice to know where. He’s not answering calls.”  
  
Another pause. “If we at least knew where he was, physically, we wouldn’t have to worry so much.”  
  
Rouge listened, patiently and considerately. She didn’t want to trample over his feelings.  
  
“I get what you mean. It can be a little nerve-wracking when someone doesn’t respond, and nobody knows what they’re up to. You guys must be worried.”  
  
“Yeah...it’s a lot, sometimes.” Tails gave a short, nervous chuckle.  
  
“Well,” Rouge continued, hoping to reassure him, “I just wanted to call and let you know that I decided to throw my hat into the ring and see if I could help. I’ve done a bit of looking and I think I MIGHT have a lead on where he is. Or at least a good place for me to start looking.”  
  
Tails gasped, completely dumbfounded.

“Wait, what?! You know where Sonic is? Also, why are you helping us find-...I mean you don’t have to-...I really appreciate that you’d think to-”  
  
“Relax, relax. It’s nothing, really. Don’t get too excited. I just figured I’d do my part. You and Sonic have helped us all plenty of times, here’s my turn to pay back the favor. I don’t have him just yet, but I’ll keep you posted.”  
  
A string of clouds passed over the setting sun, dimming the harsh glare. The sky was aglow with bands of red and violet. A strong breeze kicked in, which Rouge found refreshing. She was glad to be out of the Green Hill heat and into more temperate regions.  
  
“But more importantly,” Rouge went on, with a new weight behind her tone, “I wanted to call to say that I think you can pack it up for the night. I can take it from here. I don’t want you and Miss Rose and whoever else to be up all night, worried and stressed. Sonic’s a slippery guy, and you’re not going to be able to find him by just combing over the plains and jungles over and over. I’m sure he’s doing okay, not in any physical danger at least, so let me handle the rest of this case for you. I promise I will update you tomorrow.”

“But…” Tails tried to object. He didn't seem like the type of guy to just dump his responsibilities onto someone else. The fact that it was Rouge in particular calling probably still had his head spinning. She couldn’t help but smile at his politeness. “I mean...I appreciate all the help, it’s just...it shouldn’t be your job to make sure Sonic’s okay,” he finally spurted out.  
  
“It’s nobody’s job to make sure Sonic’s okay. He can take care of himself. We’re just checking in on him. Just give me a chance, alright? At the very least, can you pass my message along to Amy? She deserves the peace of mind.” Rouge ended with a tone of finality.  
  
Tails sighed. “Yeah, yeah...maybe you’re right. I’ll pass the message along. Thanks a bunch, Rouge. I’ll check in with you tomorrow.”  
  
“Of course. Hey, mark this down as my community service while you’re at it. I’m going to need a lil’ recognition for being such an amazing, upstanding citizen. Goodnight, fox boy. Rest that weary head of yours, I’m sure you’re exhausted.”  
  
They said their goodbyes, and Rouge hung up.  
  
It wasn’t often that she worked so directly with Sonic’s friends. She usually kept her distance, unless the world itself was at stake. Something about this felt like a nice change of pace. It was nice to have people to talk to, common goals to achieve, and a way to utilize her skills. She was tired of everyone always having the knives out for each other. There was no need for tricks or backstabbing.  
  
Rouge wanted to help.  
  
Plus, she was dying to know what Sonic had to say when she found him. What was going on in that head of his?  
  
 _Maplebrook, Mushroom Springs, and then onto the next zone. The next lead on him should be somewhere around there._  
  
\-----  
  
Piper babbled and laughed happily, nearly falling over.  
  
They clapped their hands together, cheering on Sonic as he rolled up and down the hills. Sonic bounced, jumped, slid, and ran his way all around the baby Chao, doing his best to entertain them. It was hard for Sonic not to show off when he had an audience.  
  
He rocketed up a steep hill and soared into the air, doing various flips and poses before landing back on his feet.  
  
In the blink of an eye, he sped up towards Piper and skidded to a stop, mindful of his angle so that dirt and grass didn’t fly into the Chao’s face.  
  
“What d’ya think? Not bad, right?” Sonic grinned. For the past few hours, they had been taking turns. First, Sonic would race around the grassy hills, making young Piper laugh and cheer. Once they were hyped up, Sonic would take a break to watch Piper do their best to mimic him. Piper still couldn’t run yet, but they could walk and stumble forward pretty quickly for their age. They were clearly excited to learn to go as fast as the hedgehog looking over them.  
  
In between turns, they took snack breaks to recharge.  
  
“Phew. I’m getting a workout here, kid. But I bet this all beats being cooped up in that barn, right?”  
  
Piper smiled and nodded, cooing with happiness. They pushed themselves up onto their feet, wobbling, and tried to run over to Sonic. After a few brave steps, they tripped and fell over. Earlier in the day, Piper had immediately cried every time they tripped. This time, they did their best to hold it in and get themselves back on their feet.  
  
“That’s it, you got it,” Sonic encouraged, waiting perfectly still.  
  
Piper walked forward, a bit slower and more careful, and made it their coach.  
  
“Good job! You’re a natural,” Sonic commended them, patting their head.  
  
Sonic blinked, suddenly noticing how dark it had gotten. The sun was nearly done setting, leaving only a violet glow over the horizon. The rest of the sky was painted with deep turquoise and blue, as the hillsides around them became black silhouettes against the canvas.  
  
“Hey buddy, actually, last one. Okay?” Sonic watched Piper walking back and forth, trying to make straight lines but nearly tripping every few seconds. Their legs were slowly getting the hang of it. “After that, I’m gonna set up a tent so we can hit the hay.”  
  
He opened his backpack, taking out firewood and matches. He kept one eye on Piper while he set up the fire, something to keep them comfortable and out of the pitch darkness at their camp site.  
  
 _The old lady told me that Piper has slept under the stars before, so hopefully they’re not afraid of the dark or anything. With blankets and a tent, we should be good, right?_  
  
Before long, the fire was lit. Small embers jumped up the pile of dry branches and leaves, slowly providing a bright glow. Piper was off on their own, surprisingly brave in the dark, walking up a hill. When they reached the top, they promptly spun on their heels and began their descent. They took it slow, at Sonic’s guidance, and made sure to not stumble downward.  
  
When they reached the base of the hill all on their own, Sonic burst into cheer.  
  
“You did it! Piper! A hill, up and down, all on your own! Great job!” It was the simplest of accomplishments, but the hedgehog was beaming with pride. “Looks like tomorrow I’m gonna need to come up with some new challenges for you! You’re unstoppable!”  
  
Piper’s eyes welled up, overcome with emotion from their coach’s praise, and they leapt into Sonic’s arms. They hugged, and Sonic couldn’t help but laugh. It was all so silly but it was so much fun, watching Piper tackle new goals. His cheeks nearly hurt from grinning so much.  
  
Sonic took a seat by the fire and patted the grass beside him.  
  
“C’mere, have a seat. Don’t get too close to the fire, it’s super hot. Let’s take it easy and have a snack, then get to bed early. There’s lots to do tomorrow, so let’s get lots of sleep, okay?”  
  
Piper excitedly took a seat next to Sonic, eager for one more snack.  
  
“Any snacks for me?” An unexpected voice whispered, shattering their bubble of privacy.  
  
Sonic shouted against his better judgment, and threw his arm up in defense of Piper. His beanie slid off his head, his quills shooting up in fight-or-flight reflex. He jerked his body around, looking for the source of the sound in the shadows. His body was poised with tension, ready to hop to his feet and take Piper with him far, far away.  
  
“It’s just me, it’s just me. I come in peace,” Rouge said calmly, holding her hands up in surrender.  
  
Standing before him, just barely lit by the fire, was Rouge the Bat. Adrenaline and panic pumped through Sonic’s veins.  
  
“H-hey...What...I mean...Rouge?” He could barely get a sentence out.  
  
“Y’know, I really didn’t think it’d be this easy to find you. I thought for sure I’d have to ask all around town just to get a hint of where you went next,” Rouge said, congratulating herself. “But just when I was about to call it quits for the night, I heard this obnoxious shouting and cheering over in the hills. Who would have thought it would really be you?”  
  
Once again, his disguise was completely useless. Sonic would have sighed, but he held his breath, his body poised to fight or run away.  
  
Rouge sighed for him. “Oh, would you just relax? Are you gonna run off? Be my guest. I don’t even want anything from you, I’m not here for anything. Go on, run off.”  
  
Sonic failed to relax. “Rouge...what are you doing here? Are you, like...following me?”  
  
She pointed at her ear with an exaggerated gesture. “I’m just here to leave a message. It seems like quite a few of your friends have done the same thing, because you never pick up the phone. I’m thinking your earpiece must be broken, something like that? So I'm leaving a message the old-fashioned way, in person.”  
  
Sonic blushed, gritting his teeth in embarrassment. Rouge had a habit of always knowing the exact words that would cut the sharpest and embarrass him the most.  
  
“N-no...it works. I just...haven’t been picking it up,” Sonic muttered, the admission feeling like his karmic punishment. “I’m gonna listen to their messages soon, I’ve just been...busy these past few days. I’m kinda taking a break.”  
  
Piper was cowering behind him, scared of this sudden stranger. They wrapped their arms around Sonic’s waist and bravely peered up at Rouge towering above them.  
  
 _Aw, geez...here it goes…_  
  
To Sonic’s surprise, Rouge sat on the grass a few feet away. She was now down at their level, no longer towering over young Piper. He was unsure if that’s why she sat down.  
  
“A break, huh? Amen to that. I was thinking of taking an extended-stay on Angel Island. Relax in the sun,” Rouge talked to herself, with a strange tone of sincerity. She stared into the fire, her face indecipherable.  
  
 _She hasn’t called me out on Piper yet. Has she really not noticed them? Nah, that’s impossible. Even Big said something immediately. It’s kind of impossible to miss._  
  
A moment of silence passed, the crackling fire bridging the gap in conversation. A chorus of crickets could be heard all around them, scattered through the hills. Rouge didn’t make eye contact with him, to his relief. She simply stared into the fire, watching the embers dance between the branches. The smaller twigs buckled under the heat, contorting and falling into the pile below.  
  
“Anything on your mind?” Rouge broke the silence. Her voice was so genuine it actually unnerved him. He was used to Rouge being sarcastic, or snarky, or teasing. “Did something...happen?”  
  
“No, no, nothing happened…” Sonic was quick to avoid any drama or misunderstandings. He didn’t want rumors to spread. “Just a break. There’s always a lot going on. Sometimes it’s nice to just...take a vacation. Travel a bit. Soak up the scenery.”  
  
Rouge nodded, almost imperceptibly. She was completely still, like a figure sculpted out of the darkness itself. The modest campfire only barely illuminated her. When she was silent, it was like she wasn’t there at all. The muscles in Sonic’s body slowly relaxed, ever so slightly. He began to steadily forget his reflex to just grab Piper and run away.  
  
He thought that there would be a follow-up question, but Rouge said nothing. She just gazed into the fire. Either this was a long interrogation, or she was simply keeping him company.  
  
“Did…” Sonic broke the peace, a question burning in his mind, “...Amy send for you? Did she ask you to look for me? Or Tails?”  
  
“Nobody asked me to look for you. That was my bright idea. You’re welcome,” Rouge might have been smiling, but Sonic couldn't tell for sure. “I just got the vibe that some of your friends were getting worried. So I did some sniffing around, and look, here we are.”  
  
Sonic frowned, turning away from her.  
  
“I didn’t mean to worry everyone,” he muttered. Suddenly, Piper squeezed his waist tighter. They let go and took a step forward, making a soft squeaking sound. Sonic hadn’t given them that snack he promised.  
  
 _Oh, right. One more snack before bed._  
  
Sonic peered around and saw the basket of fruit kept near the tent he had just finished setting up. He reached for it, leaning over to extend his arm without getting up, and just barely grabbed hold of it. He dragged the basket over awkwardly, and took out a Square Fruit for Piper to enjoy. As quiet as he tried to be, the action was obvious and noticeable.  
  
He glanced over at Rouge nervously. To his surprise, she still said nothing. She didn’t even turn her head at the sound of Piper’s voice. She seemed to simply pretend that they weren’t there.  
  
“You know…” she continued, “...if you really don’t like the whole phone call thing, why don’t you just tell everyone that your earpiece broke? Or just ‘drop’ it somewhere in the forest. Or just give it to me and tell everyone that I stole it. I’ve been known to nab a thing or two for no good reason. You can be off-the-grid for a while.”  
  
Sonic was caught off-guard by the suggestions. “Wait-...what? N-no, I’m just gonna...you don’t need to do something like that. It’s fine.”  
  
Rouge turned slightly, finally making eye contact.  
  
Sonic continued. “I don’t need to do something like that...the phone is fine, I’ll get to those messages...eventually. It’s just...overwhelming. The calls, the messages, they pile up. The work piles up. People need me for stuff, all the time. I’m always taking down Eggman, that’s no sweat, but afterwards...when people are digging their way out of the wreckage...I’m always needed for something. I know that sounds really selfish, it’s just...it’s a lot.”  
  
Rouge nodded.  
  
“I think I’m just...not built for this. I don’t know. A giant robot fleet is no problem, but the everyday stuff? I can’t do what Amy does, or Tails, or Vector or anybody.” Piper walked over to Sonic, munching happily on their snack, and sat in his lap. “My head just feels fried. Maybe I need to recharge. I don’t know. I don’t really...know what I’m doing.”  
  
“They ask you to save the world, and you do it. But after all that, you’re still expected to save everyone’s world each day of the week,” Rouge observed. It was a vague statement, but the way she said it out loud and put it into the air sent a strange, soothing calm over Sonic.  
  
“Yeah…” Sonic muttered. He pet Piper’s head as they finished their food. “The days blur together. I don't even know if I'm _helping_ these people. I barely even remember the things I do or the things I've said. I’m probably being a jerk for even making this all about me. I don’t know. I don’t really know what to do about it. So instead I’m just doing...whatever it is I’m doing now.”

Rouge smiled, and Sonic couldn’t help but chuckle. He paused for a moment, then picked up Piper and held them up towards Rouge.  
  
 _She’s come this far, what’s the use in hiding things?_  
  
“This is Piper. They needed someone to watch after them for a few days, so they could get out of the house and see the world a little bit. When I’m done with ‘em, they’ll be a speedy superstar. Piper, meet Rouge. She’s a friend.”  
  
“I was wondering when you’d introduce me,” she smiled, holding out her finger and thumb to gently shake Piper’s tiny little hand. “Charmed, Piper. You look like a cute little rascal. I can relate. If you win any shiny medals someday, something real expensive-looking, make sure I don’t catch wind of it. You hear?”  
  
Piper smiled up at her, swaying back and forth. Sonic cradled them in his arms gently, and their eyes became heavy with drowsiness.  
  
Rouge leaned back, sighing with a sense of finality and satisfaction. Maybe she was just waiting for Sonic to work up the courage to say something about the Chao.  
  
“Maybe I should get going, and find a place to crash for the night,” she stood up, slowly and deliberately so as to not alarm the sleepy Piper. “I’ll leave you to whatever it is you’re doing out here in the middle of nowhere these days. Good luck with the kid. Good luck getting through your inbox. I'm rooting for ya.”  
  
“H-hey, uh,” Sonic stopped her. “So does this mean that, uh, Tails and Amy know where I am? Now that you found me.”  
  
Rouge clicked her tongue, and stifled a laugh. She turned away, done with him. Her figure was only faintly outlined by the orange glow. The deep black of night was setting in, leaving them only with the light of the moon, the stars, and Sonic’s humble campfire.  
  
“You can breathe easy, pal. Nobody knows where you are. Nobody knows where I am. Your secret’s safe with me. I just wanted to check that you were still in one piece.”  
  
Without any further goodbyes, she swiftly launched into the air and flew into the shadows, completely gone.  
  
Sonic held his breath for nearly half a minute. When it was apparent that she was really gone, he finally relaxed. That on-the-run instinct had never faded, even as they spoke. Sonic was starting to notice that the feeling never seemed to go away these days, no matter what he did or who he talked to. Nonetheless, he appreciated the chat with Rouge. Maybe she was a friend he could trust after all.

Sonic held Piper in one arm, sleeping peacefully, and grabbed the blankets and baskets in the other. He headed over to his shabby little tent, and made a comfortable pile they could fall asleep in.  
  
“Sweet dreams, kiddo. Tomorrow, more training. And after that, well...who knows what.”  
  
\-----  
  
The sound of crickets grew louder as Rouge hopped from tree branch to tree branch, silently as she could. She traveled with absolute stealth, not hoping to run into any more travelers in the night as she made her way towards the town inn.  
  
She twirled a small Blue Violet between her fingers, having plucked it off the forest floor just a moment before.  
  
She felt satisfied, having set out a goal for herself and achieving it with such ease. People called her cocky, but they must have been forgetting how to say “competent.”  
  
Rouge the Bat only had one job left for the day. It was a question, one that had been bouncing back and forth in her head as she had made her way out of the hills and into the forest.  
  
 _Either I tell his friends exactly where I found him, and betray Sonic’s trust...or I lie to them, so he can keep hiding. Both feel like failure. Both so unsatisfying._  
  
She plucked a petal off of the flower and tossed it over her shoulder with apathy.  
  
 _Tell them._  
  
She plucked another petal off.  
  
 _Lie to them._  
  
She plucked another petal off.  
  
 _Tell them._  
  
 _Lie to them._  
  
 _Tell them._  
  
Before she could finish with all the petals, she crumpled the whole flower in her cupped palms and tossed it aside.  
  
 _I’m too drained, I don’t need to make a decision like this right now. Some beauty-rest first. I deserve it._  
  
Rouge made her way to Maplebrook and booked a room. She collapsed into bed, and with no trouble at all, fell into a deep sleep.  
  
When she woke the next morning, she did what she felt was the right thing to do.


End file.
